Marine illusion apparatus.



N0-828,?91.. PATEHTBD AUG-14, 1906. v

P. M. WHITE.

MARINE ILLUSION APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIDR FILED 313151;, lflfi' 4 sugars-sang! 1.

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WITNESSES A TTORNE YS No. 828,791. PATENTED we. 14, 1906. F. A! WHITE.

MARINE ILLiTSiON APPARATUS. uranium: rnnn was 1, 1900.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR F/iflNGfl'S/V. WA! TE AJ'TORNEYS UNITED STATES FRANCIS MARION WHITE, OF FORT PA'I ENT OFFICE.

WORTH. TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JAMES J. LAEGEVER, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

' MARINE ILLUSION APPARATUS.

Letters Patent.

Application filed Juno 1, 1908. Serial Kc. 819,750-

To an whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FnaNors MARION WHITE, a citizen'of the United States, and a resident of Fort Worth, in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented an Im roved Marine Illusion Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

In carrying out my invention I provide a waterway, two boots or portions of boats which apparently float therein, and a fixed structure spanning the waterway intermediate the two boats. The passengers are taken on board the first boat, which is tied to a wharf or dock and by which they are trans ported alon the waterway for a short distance until t e fixed structure is encountered, and through this the assengers pass onto the second boat, whicl i is stationary as re gards progressive motion along the water: way, but is capable of being rocked to simulate the motions of a boat in the waves and also provided with paddle-wheels that are re volved to produce a further illusion of ro: pulsion through the water. The passengers suppose that they have passed three ii'ths 3 how to the stern of the boat'instesste' mes ing the transfer, as stated. 1 The asses cost is moored within a building whose sides are ornamented with marine views and at the rear end of which a screenis erectecl',whereon moving and other pictures are thrown from a picture apparatus. By these means the illusion of a steamboat tour is produced with great realistic effect.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is mainly a sectional elevation of the parts composin my illusion apparatus, the movable oat eing shownrnoored' in position for taking passengers. Fig. 2 is in part a plan View and in art a horizontal section of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is mainly a perspective view, portions being broken away, the same illustrating the stationary boat and the building in which it is located, together with a portion of the stationary structure span ning the waterway. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a. portion of the stationary boat and a 7 portion of the fixed structure that spans the waterway. Fig. '5 is a transverse vertical section on the ne 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the cassette oat and the stationary structure, to ether" with a portion of the adjacent bu ding.

' tion of the front of the building E.

a detail vertical section illustrating the means for rocking the second boat. Figs. '9 and 10 are diagrammatic plan views illustrating the relations of the main arts of the apparatus, the movable boat being shown in one case so arate from the fixed structure and in the ot er in contact with it.

In the main views, A indicates a canal or 'waterway; B, the movable boat which appears to float therein; C, a narrow fixed structure that s ans the waterway; D, the second heat, whicli has no progressive movement, but is adapted to be rocked and appears, like the first-named one, to float on the water; E, a hiiildin in which the second boat is contained; a screen at the rear end of the building, and G an apparatus by which pictures niay be thrown on the screen for iliusion purposes. The local reiations of the several parts may be better understood h reference 'to Fi s. 9 and lfl. In Fig. 9 the rat-named boat is shown in position to receive passengers. in Fig. 10 the movable beat is shown close up to or in contact with the fixed structure 0, as required for transferring the passengers to the heat D. As indicated in Fig. 6, the first named beat B is moored or tied u at the dock or wharf, and the passengers w o ar'e'to make the supposed water trip are taken on board the same and occupy the decks or platforms in the rear. The boat B is, in fact, but a section of a steamboat of the usual type, the rearwall oithesame being vcrtiosi and provided: doors I). The bell being sounded and the lines cast oil, the seat 3 moves along thewaterway, it being so eace 7 upon wheelsb, (see Figs. 1 and 7,) sai wheels canal A. These are, however, concealed by the hull of the boat and the water and cannot be perceived by the passengers. The structure C has vertical sides and forms a projec- It is provided with floors or platforms 0, corresponding in vertical position with the platforms or decks of the boat B. The structure is proyided with doors a and c in front and rear respectively. When the boat B, with its load of passen ers, reaches this strncture, it is halted, and t e doors b and c of the respective parts are opened and the passengers are told Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the water to pass to the rear or stern of the boat. In

way end'the first or movable boat. Fig. 8 is running on rails laid in the bottom of the Patented Aug. 14, 190B.

This is also the case in Figs. 1, 2, and 6.

' paddle-whee doing so they do not perceive that the structure C is separate from or independent of the boat B, but regard it as a ortion thereof. The thus pass onto the (160 s or platforms of t e boat D, being still under the delusion that the latter is constructed integral with the first-named boat B, and the structure U. The passengers being seated upon the decks or platforms of the boat D, the further illusion begins. The sides of the building E are ornamented by paintings illustrative of marine or other scenes, and upon the screen F moving pictures are thrown from the apparatus G, and at the same time a rocking motion is imparted to the boat B to simulate as nearly as practicable the natural movements of a boat on the water. The illusion thus created is very realistic. The boat D is su ported upon rockers d, arran ed longitudinally, and suitable means is emp oyed for imparting oscillation to the boat. As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 8 a lever H, having a toothed segmental head h, is pivoted upon a post h, arranged and su orted jnthe fixed structure 0, and the saidllead engaging an arc-rack d, fixed to the rear wall of the boat D. By operating this lever either manually or by a motor the required oscillation is produced. It will,be understood that there must be suflicients ace between the rear wall of the boat D and the adjacent wall of the structure C to ermit the required degree 'of oscillation. 0 further promote the illusion, .the paddle-wheels d are arranged between the rockers d. (See especially Figs. 4 and 5 The shafts of the s d are j ournaled in the rockers, and rotation is imparted thereto. by an electric or other motor I, also arranged between the rockers and receiving electromotive power from a suitable source. In rotating, the addles strike upon the water, and thus prodilce ractically the same sound as paddle-whee s employed for propulsion in the.

supposed steamboat trip has ended, the passengers pass backward through the stationary structure C and out through the side doors c, (see Figs. 1 and 6,) and thence down steps c to a path or passa eway a, (see Figs. 2, 6, 9, 10,) the same leading to a wicket a, where the passengers pass out into the open. The central structure 0 thus serves as a means of transferrin all the passengers from one boat to the ot er and from the rocking boat to the dock or wharf.

It is to be understood that I do not restrict myself to a1}; s ecific means for propulsion of the boat a ong the rails in the canal or waterway, since a motor connected with the wheels I) or any other suitable means may be em loyed for the purpose.

'I he apparatus above described is simple and comparatively inexpensive and furnis es an illusion of a steamboat tour which is highly realistic.

ranged What I claim is 1. A marine illusion apparatus comprising a waterway, a fixed structure spanning the same and provided with transverse passa eways, a movable boat adapted to move in t e waterway on one side of said structure and another boat arran ed in the waterway on the opposite side 0% the structure, the two boats and the said structure being provided with doors which coincide when the three are juxtaposed so that passengers may pass from the first-named boat through the structure onto the second boat, means for rocking the second boat, and a screen and picture apparatus, and a building inclosing the second boat and the screen and picture apparatus, substantially as described.

2. A marine illusion apparatus comprising a waterway, a fixed structure arranged over the same and having transverse passageways, a movable boat and a second boat as to, progressive movement the two being aron opposite sides of the fixed structure, a build ng inclosing the second heat and having its front coincident with the fixed structure, means for rocking the second boat, and a screen and picture a paratus arr-an ed in the said building, sul stantially as escribed.

3. A marine illusion apparatus, comprising a waterway and a structure fixed over the same, a boat arranged in the waterway and supported on wheels adapted to run therein, a second boat arranged in the waterway 011 the opposite side of the fixed structure, and having rockers which permit its oscillation, means for imparting such movement thereto, and picture-exhibiting apparatus, substantially as described.

4. A marine illusion apparatus comprising a waterway a building and a fixed structure arranged over one portion of the same, a boat, and means for rocking it arranged in the building, and a movable boat arranged on the other side of the fixed structure and adapted to move toward and from the other,

substantially as described.

5. A marine illusion apparatus comprising a waterway, a boat adapted to move along the same, a second boat which is stationary therein as regards rogressive motion, the two boats having t eir opposite walls provided with coincident doors so that passen gersmay pass from one to the other, a buildinilmcloslng the second boat, and pictureex 'biting apparatus, substantially as described.

6. A marine illusion apparatus comprising a waterway, a building coveri a portion 0 the same and a boat arra I e therein and mounted on rockers, means or rocking it to simulate the motion of a boat on the water, and a second heat which is movable in the waterway toward and from the fixed one, the two being provided with coincident doors through whieh assengers may ass from one to the other, so stantielly its escribed.

7 A marine illusion apparatus comprising a waterway, a. building over a. portion of the same, a fixed structure spanning the waterwe and forrninil the front of the buil an Erovided wit side exits, aboet errang in t e waterway within the building and adapted to rock, means for rocking the same, and a second boat movable in the waterway toward and from the said structure and he ing doors coincident with others therein, sub- .stentieily as described.

8. In a marine illusion apparatus, a host sup orted uion rockers means for imperti osc ation t ereto, a. die-wheels arrange beneath the deck in t e waterwey, and means for imparting rotation thereto for simulating the sound of paddlewhee1s employed for propulsion, as described.

9. In a marine illusion apparatus, a. waterway, a building inelosing a portion of the same, a. picture-exhibitor, and a boat air-- renged and ade gted to oscillate in the waterway within the uilding, meens for pit otelly so porting the some, means for an artmg osciliiition thereto, and paddle-w eels, and

'meens for rotating them for prodnoi yl the illusion of; propelling-wheels, substanti described.

it). in a marine illusion apparatus, a. we.- terway, elbuilding cove a portion of same and a fixed strueture form ng its front end, a. boat mounted on rockers in the waterway and within the building ediecent to the fixed structure, and grovided with e toothed are, and a segment. toothed lever nvoted m the fixed structure and engaging said are whereby oscillation may be imparted to the boat, substentieii as described.

7 FitANCIS MARION WHITE. Witnesses:

F. N. SMITH, L. A. Prr'r. 

